The beast within
by dreamland4
Summary: Arthur can't take it anymore and he talks to Guinevere.   I own nothing of Merlin but love.  Angsty sorry.


**Comments: Just a quick story full of little angst and a heart to heart. Unbeta'd so forgive me for any errors.**

Jealousy is a beast that once arisen is very difficult to tame.

Merlin watched as Arthur stared out of the window at Guinevere walking towards the castle, he noticed when Gwen would talk to any man Arthurs hand would grip tighter to the window seal, his knuckles white.

Merlin smiled, although Arthur was a proud, arrogant and quite frankly pain in the backside, his heart was larger than Camelot itself! Especially when it came to a certain maid.

Merlin watched Arthur grinding his teeth, he was close to boiling point and Merlin was not looking forward to the explosion when it did happen!

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A few days later Merlin stood behind Arthur in the eastern corridor whilst he talked to Sir Anthony...in the distance Merlin noticed Guinevere come out of Sir leon's chambers shortly followed by Sir Leon himself. Merlin immediately looked at Arthur who had stopped talking his eyes like a hawk spotting his prey and his jaw set.

Sir Anthony didn't seem to notice the conversation ending so abruptly and Arthur's pained expression, instead he bid Arthur farewell and left him standing there staring at the Guinevere and Sir Leon laughing. He took in all the details the way her cheeks blushed a slight pink as Sir Leon leaned against his door and she laughed again...now stroking his chest.

Arthur's hands went into fists "Arthur...I am sure there is a good..."

"Shut up Merlin" Arthur was frozen, unable to move just staring as the beast in his belly rose higher and higher consuming him.

Sir Leon bid goodbye to Guinevere and Merlin sighed in relief as he left in the opposite direction to Arthur, who was now on the move towards Gwen.

All Merlin could do was follow, Arthur was in no mood to be reasoned with he had reached his limits and this was it.

Before Guinevere had chance to greet Arthur, he had grabbed her by the arm and was dragging her down the corridor, he opened the nearest empty room and dragged her into it shutting the door firmly shut in Merlin's face "I'll wait outside then shall I?"

"Arthur?" Arthur let go of her arm and Gwen just stared at him in disbelief he had said nothing but dragged her half way down the corridor and into the nearest room. He was now pacing up and down in front of her.

"Can you tell me why you dragged me down the corridor?"

Arthur stopped he looked so angry and she had no idea why "I have tried to ignore it Guinevere" he started pacing again "With _all the others_"

"Others?" Gwen looked confused.

He stopped in front of her as if he was about to interrogate a criminal "Now Sir Leon" Guinevere just stared at him like he had dribbled and then he snapped.

"WELL I WANT ANSWERS...NOW?" Gwen jumped as he shouted at her.

"What are you talking about?" She really had no clue what this was all about, perhaps he had been drinking she carefully sniffed the air, no not been drinking.

Arthur's eye's were wild "Do you think me a fool?"

Gwen felt like she was dreaming what on earth was going on "No of course not, I am just confused to the source of your anger"

Arthur scoffed "Confused! Well let me make it clear for you" he got dangerously close his finger pointing "I found you leaving Sir Leon's chambers...I suppose you are going to deny it now!" he started pacing again "Say that my mind is _tricking me_"

All the pieces of puzzle fell together, Arthur thought she had spent the night with Sir Leon and then she did the next and probably least sensible thing to do...she laughed uncontrollable.

Arthur stopped pacing he looked wild "Oh I am glad my feelings are so amusing to you" he felt like shaking her making her see how much his heart felt as if it had been ripped out by her betraying ways.

Gwen stopped laughing "You are a foolish man Arthur Pendragon...I am Sir Leon's maid for the day, Anne is sick, I was merely stepping in to help him"

Arthur let out a breath he didn't realise he had been holding "You...what about the touching?"

Gwen tried to think of any touching and then she laughed again "Dog hair?"

"Dog hair?"

"Yes, he had dog hair on his chest I rubbed it off" Arthur was still looking angry but he seemed to have calmed down slightly.

"And Gwaine?" he couldn't help it he needed to have this out right now.

"Gwaine?"

"I saw you flirting with him when he left?" Arthur folded his arms and stared at her waiting for an answer.

Gwen didn't know whether to slap him or hug him...he was so jealous and this fact was quite amusing. The crown Prince of Camelot was jealous of a maid talking to other men. "Is your opinion of me so low?"

"Yes..well no of course it isn't" Gwen raised her eyebrows Arthur's guard seemed to be coming down. "I...you kissed him"

Gwen blushed slightly thinking that her kiss of friendship had caused him such pain "I kissed him on the cheek Arthur out of friendship"

Arthur relaxed a little "Friendship?"

Gwen sighed, she knew Arthur was a very proud man and words were not always his strong point. "Yes friendship Arthur...you cannot go around acting like this, our positions mean that you and I cannot be" Gwen placed her hand on his arm and he looked immediately guilty "We will both find someone else, you a princess and me a man like Gwaine" Arthur tensed again at his name.

"I don't want that"

Gwen sighed and stroked his arm "Neither do I, but it is our destiny Arthur...you cannot expect me to be alone forever...and you cannot drag me into rooms and interrogate me every time I talk to another man"

Arthur looked down ashamed of his actions, he knew right now Guinevere could not be his, but he also knew that he did not want her to be anybody else's either. "I am sorry Guinevere...you drive me crazy" Arthur looked at her again and placed his hand on her cheek "I think about you every moment of every day" Gwen felt the tears building up, but she would not allow them to fall.

Arthur looked away "I want to be the one to make you laugh, to be able to hold you where ever and whenever I want" Arthur looked back to her and he noticed a few tears betraying her and falling down her cheek.

"Arthur" she said in almost a whisper, her heart breaking with each word he spoke.

"All my life I have wanted to be just a prince and tried not to think about being the King, but now since I realised I cared for you. I don't want to be a prince any longer I want to be the King so I can be damned with the rules and _marry you_!"

Gwen's hand held onto Arthur's arms for support, she felt herself falter with the strength of his emotions. "I wish I could see that happening...I wish that it would be that easy. Even if you became King, there would be many other's that oppose our union"

Arthur leaned his forehead against hers "I would destroy any that stood in our way"

Gwen took a deep breath "No you would not, you are not that man...our future is uncertain, but yours is not"

Arthur pulled back to look at her "I do not want to think about a future without you by my side"

Gwen lifted her hand up and rubbed his cheek "I will always be here for you...to see you become the Great King I know you will be"

Arthur stepped away and placed his hands on the table for support hanging his head "But as a friend?"

Guinevere looked to her feet "Arthur, the path you have to take is long and unknown...you will meet people worthy of you, you will fall in love with the right person...a princess"

Arthur slammed his hands on the nearby table knocking a bowl off causing a loud bang "DAMN IT GUINEVERE have you not been listening to me?"

Gwen jumped feeling the full weight of a royal temper "Arthur"

He turned around and looked at her "Just tell me what you want?"

"I want what is best for Camelot" she looked back to her feet

"STOP being so damn noble! Tell me what YOU want" He came up to her and grabbed her by the shoulders forcing her to look at him.

"TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT" he felt guilty for shouting, but he was fed up with Gwen being so damn practical, he wanted her to be honest of her own feelings for once.

"YES of course I want you" she pulled away from his grip and turned away from him "OF course I want the damn fairy tale" she turned back to him angry "But you cannot give that to me, YOU SHOULD not give it to me" she raised her arms up in frustration.

"YOU and ME we are but a dream...one that I cannot even entertain. I have nothing to offer you, I have nothing but these rags I wear" She grabbed a handful of her cheap purple dress, tears rolling down her face. " I have nothing but LOVE to give you Arthur I cannot rule the kingdom with you...they deserve more! They deserve a Princess and _you must give it to them_!"

She went to leave, unable to continue on with this conversation but Arthur grabbed her by the hand and pulled her into his arms and held her tight his eyes also filling with tears "You are the queen they deserve...you are the queen I want" He held her tight as the tears fell down her face and stained his shirt. "I love you Guinevere" he pulled her back to look at him and placed a kiss on her lips "I love you so much that it hurts to breathe" he placed another kiss on her lips. "Say you will wait for me, say you will try at least and I promise you we will see our day...no matter what it takes"

Guinevere felt too weak to speak, he wanted her to wait for him...but really she knew she was just waiting for Arthur to realise that he really needed someone better, someone fit to rule a kingdom. Her heart was breaking and she felt unable to leave this situation but unable to stay...she was trapped, trapped in the dream of a fairytale...one that she was sure would never make it from the page to reality. But she couldn't leave so she just nodded and Arthur kissed her.

"I will make this happen" he said between kisses, but Guinevere felt naked her insides having been pulled out and put on display. She had agreed to wait for Arthur, until he became king...the truth was she probably made that commitment long ago...she could not leave now, she was in a prison and Arthur had the only key.

Gwen stayed silent as Arthur wiped her tears away with his hand and placed another kiss on her lips. Merlin knocked and popped his head around "Council meeting" the atmosphere in the room was thick with emotions, Merlin saw Gwen's eyes still red from the tears and Merlin vowed to go and see her tonight, to help her.

"Thank you Merlin" he ducked his head out and closed the door.

"I need to go...I shall see you later?" Gwen just nodded. Arthur sighed and placed a quick kiss on her cheek.

"Everything will work out now...you will see" As difficult as this had been he now knew that Guinevere would wait for him and that meant everything to him.

Gwen smiled weakly and she watched Arthur leave...as his footsteps could be heard leaving the corridor, she collapsed to her knees and sobbed into her hands. She had given hope to Arthur, but felt she had none for herself.

**NOtes: Sorry guys I might have lost the plot a bit with this one. Reviews are always welcome.**


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